Ashland board OKs measure to look for new health insurance provider

Thursday

Jul 10, 2014 at 6:00 AM

By Anamika RoyDaily News StaffASHLAND - Selectmen Wednesday approved adopting a bylaw that clears the way for town management to look for a new health insurance provider for municipal employees and retirees.On June 18, a vote was delayed after town employees protested at the last selectmen meeting that adopting the measure infringes upon their collective bargaining rights. At that meeting, the board formed a 25-member insurance advisory committee with representatives from the 10 unions in Ashland and non-union representatives from the town government and school department.That committee met with Town Manager Anthony Schiavi and Assistant Town Manager Michael Herbert on June 26 and July 8."We had some great discussion. There were some really good questions," said Schiavi about the meetings.Under the town’s current plan with West Suburban Health Group, Ashland spends $5.2 million on health insurance in fiscal 2015. By 2018, that number will reach about $7 million, about 13 percent of the town’s budget.Town management will now look at other health insurance plans. If the town decides to join the Group Insurance Commission, the state insurance provider, it needs to notify the state by Dec. 1.Also at Wednesday’s meeting, the board suspended the liquor license of a local pub for four days for serving an intoxicated patron. Corner Pub has been in trouble with the town before. The 1 West Union St. establishment was given two, three-day liquor license suspensions at a hearing on June 4 for the same violation.Three days later, a bartender pub served an intoxicated customer who was later taken into custody by Ashland Police after committing multiple traffic offenses, including failing to stop for a police officer, according to town counsel.The customer came to the bar around 11:30 p.m. on June 6 and said he was coming from work. He was served two beers, according to pub owner Brad Smith.At the police station at 2 a.m., the patron’s blood alcohol content was 0.166, twice the legal limit, suggesting that he had been drinking before he came to the pub."People lie to you, they outright lie to you," Smith told selectmen at Wednesday’s hearing.The bartender who served the customer was fired shortly after the incident, said Smith.While selectmen said they believe Smith is doing his best to solve the problem, they were irked by the repeat incidents."What I want to find out is: are you capable of not being here again?" asked Selectman Paul Monaco.The pub is still finishing its suspensions from prior violations. Its license will be suspended for the most recent violation from July 31 to Aug. 3.Anamika Roy can be reached at 508-626-3957 or aroy@wickedlocal.com. Follow her on Twitter @anamikaroy.

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